Could fins be why the board is sinking?

[Anbessa]

Kia ora

Sounds like a stupid question maybe but here's the problem:

I bought my then 16 yr old daughter a second hand NSP 7 3/4 (so it says though it measures at 7' 6" to me) cos I figured it'd be forgiving and durable while she got going. She was learning on soft tops at school (yeah I should have just got her one of those). She took it out once and complained that it was too hard to ride. I thought she was just being fussy until I had a go a couple of months ago and saw what she meant. It is really slow and sinks at the back - to the point that I had to move right to the front half to try and level it out, by which time it was all over.

I ride a very buoyant log so I realise that it's a very different ride, but even so I could catch a wave just not go anywhere. I'm about 80kg, she is alot ligher.

I had a look at the centre of balance and it seems around the middle - which I figure is probably where it should be. The board is buoyant enough to float me and was (is) dry. No holes and light.

The only thing I can think is it might be the fins. I asked at the local surf shop but they were not very helpful - said they'd have to ride it to know and weren't prepared to offer any possibilities other than to suggest that I can't surf. Fair enough, I'm not great, but I did actually catch a wave and pop up.

I've searched forums and one guy had a similar problem that I don't know ever got resolved. Most of the advice was that he needed more powerful waves, but I'm not sure that's the issue.

I've read lots of fin info now (including the great stuff on here, thanks Jaffa) and have a better understanding of how fins work but nothing has really answered my question.

So, the question is, could the fins be the problem? Too much drag at the back and slowing it down and sinking it? The fins are small (11cm from base to tallest point 12.5cm across base), it does look like a lot of toe in, and I thought that toe in helped to speed the board up?

Heck, maybe it IS just me.

Anyway, any comments appreciated.

[waikikikichan]

Straight up, it is NOT the fins that is causing the tail to sink. If you don't believe me, you can try as an experiment, just remove the back center fin.

I have the 7'10" version of your 7'6" NSP Fun board, and the toe in of the side fins should be exactly the same, and my board is plenty fast enough.

You say the balance weight is good, so it doesn't seem to be water logged.

Could it be the rounded pin tail design ? Hmm, maybe that has some effect. But you have to consider the whole package of a Fun board, compared to your log or the learner sponge board. Probably the Fun board has more rocker and a narrower tail in comparison.

I would say the reason the tail is sinking is because she is "riding" the board going straight in the white water. Fun boards still need to be ridden across the face of the wave and "surfed" to gain speed. Yes agreed, not as much as a shortboard, but way more than compared to a longboard , sponge or hard.

[Anbessa]

Thanks, appreciate you taking the time to respond. So just focusing on gaining more speed then, and I guess taking off in a steeper part of the wave.

[waikikikichan]

Thanks, appreciate you taking the time to respond. So just focusing on gaining more speed then, and I guess taking off in a steeper part of the wave.

No, as beginners usually don’t know how to create speed just yet, and actually do things counterproductive.

If you don’t know how to bottom turn and ultimately TRIM, then taking off on the steeper part of the wave will just be a bigger “bounce” in the whitewater.